Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Midopin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Midopin’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; medium-sized red purple-colored flowers with narrow light yellow green-colored margins and darker red purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURF MIDOPIN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurf Midopin’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, freely branching and freely flowering Petunia plants with mounding habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 2010 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px5306-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px5307-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in November, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Midopin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Midopin’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Medium-sized red purple-colored flowers with narrow light         yellow green-colored margins and darker red purple-colored         venation.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have light pink-colored flowers with green-colored margins.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have white-colored flowers with green-colored margins.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘BHTUN31501’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,649. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘BHTUN31501’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more mounding than and not as         trailing as plants of ‘BHTUN31501’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter internodes than plants         of ‘BHTUN31501’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger leaves with longer         petioles than plants of ‘BHTUN31501’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘BHTUN31501’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘BHTUN31501’.     -   6. Petal apices of plants of the new Petunia were mucronate in         shape whereas petal apices of plants of ‘BHTUN31501’ were         broadly acute in shape.     -   7. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘BHTUN31501’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘BHTUN31501’ had dark red purple-colored         flowers with green-colored margins and dark violet-colored         centers.     -   8. Plants of the new Petunia had longer and thicker peduncles         than plants of ‘BHTUN31501’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Midopin’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Midopin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Midopin’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px5306-02, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px5307-01, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures of about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures of about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23.1 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 57.4 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 33.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 138A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 83 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 5 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 3.4 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 5.9 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 79C; towards the             margins, close to N144D.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2 cm. Petal width: About 2.4 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire,             slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Petal texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Throat             texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Densely pubescent;             viscid. Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 70B; margins, close to 145A; venation,             close to 70A. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N74D; margins, close to 145A; venation,             close to N79B and 145A. Throat: Close to N82C; venation,             close to N77A. Tube: Close to 79C; venation, close to N77A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 1.8 cm. Sepal width: About 4.6 mm. Sepal             shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color: Developing sepals, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing sepals, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully             opened sepals, upper surface: Close to 138A; towards the             base, close to N79B. Fully opened sepals, lower surface:             Close to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 138B             tinted with close to N77C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 2.1 cm to 2.5 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.4 mm by 3.4 mm. Anther             color: Close to 85B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 85B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2.5 cm. Style color: Close to 138C. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             138B; towards the base, tinted with close to N77B. Ovary             color: Close to 143A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Midopin’ as illustrated and described. 